travel survival

[RJRiegler]

im currently planning a trip around the US, wherever my bike takes me. my greatest concern is how do i get food and stay clean. i have no money. just emergency. the BASIC survival and hygenics. how do i do it?

[FredHiltz]

Start by digesting the How To Department at Adventure Cycling, http://www.adventurecycling.org/

Please write back with more specific questions, which are more successful on these forums.

Fred

[RJRiegler]

i thank you for your response and i followed up with your suggestions. But i couldn't find the answer. how do i gather food with no family support or money. Is it ever possible to "wash dishes for food," would it be possible to survive off "grubbing," off others. and if so how do i do it respectfully, without looking like a bum. i want nothing to do with money! its foolish. its okay if you disagree, i dont mind. i was just wondering if anyone knew of anyway to survive off no money, also is it true that people are nicer when your on a bike or on foot as opposed to in a car, while traveling

[FredHiltz]

Ah! I think that traveling by bicycle does not change the answers to these questions. Getting along without money means begging, stealing, or bartering.

Many people have made long bike trips funded by occasional stops for short-term work, but even that involves money. It it the principal of money that bothers you or the idea of work?

Fred

[staehpj1]

> would it be possible to survive off "grubbing," off others. and if so how do i do it respectfully, without looking like a bum.

It would seem that you would by definition BE a bum if doing that, so I don't see how it is possible to avoid looking like one without being a con man.

If you refuse to use money then you should probably remain in situations where you can barter and grow or gather your own food.  I do not think bicycling is such a situation unless you can carry some thing to barter with.  You may be able to work for food in some cases, but I don't think it likely that would work out for a major portion of your support.  I think that you would necessarily be reduced to a beggar or thief to make this work.

Do you live without money when not touring?  If so how?

This message was edited by staehpj1 on 4-10-08 @ 6:08 AM

[DaveB]

You are asking for something that is basically impossible.  You want all the benefits and respectability money provides but you don't want to earn it or use it.  You can't have it both ways.

[JayH]

You might want to read 'into the wild' at least on ways how not to do it.  

Jay

[MrBent]

Jay and Dave:  You've got it right!  No disrespect to RJ or the earlier dumbster-diving-female, but what is it with the people who have such a gross aversion to just working for a bit to finance a trip?  It's just NOT that hard.  Knuckle down for a few months, don't spend a lot on beer, dope, movies, etc, then hit the road.  What's the big deal?

Ride well, ride safely!

Scott

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

Well, if he resorts to stealing, odds are he'll find a place that will give him three squares a day and a dry place to sleep, at our expense.

Sorry...that must be the park ranger in me speaking.

Ride safe,
Hans